On the occasion of 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) this year, an inumerable real stories about the greatly inspiring activities of the organisation can be brought to the fore which relate to the last 100 years of the existence of the patriotic RSS. One such amazing story pertains to the testing period of Emergency during the period 1975-77. The icing on the cake is that it took place in the Kashmir valley of the Jammu & Kashmir state.
Emergency was at its terrible peak in 1976. RSS as an organisation was banned by the Indira government and thus disbanded by the top leadership of the Sangh. We were deeply involved in the underground activities throughout the Emergency period under the banner of ‘Lok Sangharsh Samiti’. Suddenly, on one day a message came from our Adhikaris that a Kashmir valley (Vibhag) based Shivir-cum-Baithak would be organised for three days in the month of June 1976 at an undisclosed place in Srinagar. We were asked to assemble at a particular place on a scheduled date and time which we did.
This author, who was undergoing the final year of graduation at that point of time was put by the organisation as Incharge of five “Indoor-Clubs” that were run in place of the regular “shakhas” in the Srinagar city. I was advised to go to the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) Srinagar to pick up some important “adhikari” who was supposed to reach there by the J&K Transport Undertaking bus from Jammu. The name of the “adhikari” was revealed to me only two hours before my departure from my home for the TRC. I had to receive Dr Om Prakash Mengi Ji (J&K Sambhag-Sanghachalak) and his wife at the TRC at 5 PM and take them to the nearby Dalgate where we had to board a houseboat for an undisclosed destination.
We did meticulously follow the instructions given to me and on reaching Dalgate, we were accompanied by a senior Swyamsevak to the houseboat waiting for us there. When we boarded the houseboat which is called “doonga” in the local parlance, we came to know that there were already some thirty other Swyamsevaks from the entire valley of Kashmir assembled there in the “doonga”. There are generally three types of houseboats in Kashmir, one is the biggest and the posh one commonly used for tourists’ temporary stay, second is the middle-sized one usually used for family-living called “doonga” and the third is a rough one used for carrying materials particularly, wood, charcoal, earth, building materials, vegetables and fruits etc from one place to another.
Here, we were travelling by a “doonga” having a capacity of accommodating around 50 persons. There were three living rooms, one bigger lobby and an open space plus one kitchen in the “doonga”. The actual Shivir-Baithak started from Dalgate and the “doonga” started its journey through the waters of Dal-lake to various places. I came to know soon that I was the youngest among all the participants in the Shivir-Baithak that was destined to make history of enthralling sorts for the generations to come.
We were briefed by Vivek ji (the Vibhag-pracharak) about the whole schedule of the three days shivir-baithak and were strictly advised not to make any sort of contact with the world outside the houseboat called “doonga”. It was like a secret small-cruise journey through the Dal-lake for three days. It becomes important here to name all the participating members in the Shivir-baithak for information and record purposes. The veteran names, in case my remembrance supports me, included the following:
S/Shri Amarnath Vashnavi, Pushkarnath Karnail, Tikalal Tapiloo, Amarnath Ganjoo, Bharat Bhushan Bhat, Ashok Braroo, Hriday Nath Bhat, Ashok Kaul, Utpal Kaul, Maharaj Krishen Kaul, Harjit Bhatia, Anupam Kaul, Inder Krishen Zutshi, Shiban Krishan Thathoo, Mohan Lal, Harjit Bhatia, Shiban Krishen Ganjoo, Dina Nath, Purshottam Bhatia, Subhash Chander Kaul, Shiban Krishen Pandita, Chandji Bhat and Shiban Krishen Laldi. Dr. Subhash Chander Gupta, Sambhag Pracharak, who had to come from Jammu, joined us later the next day when he was picked up by one of the swayamsevaks from the Srinagar Airport. A number of the senior participants had been to jail due to Emergency before joining this camp.
On the first day, the big boat travelled via Nehru Park and after some one and a half hours stopped near Kotar-khan, where now Centaur Hotel is situated on the banks of the Dal lake. During the two-hour journey, an opening session was held in the common room of the boat in which everyone was asked to give his full introduction. The session ended with certain important instructions (soochnayen) delivered meticulously by Vivek Ji. The then Vibhag Karyawah, Bharat Bhushan Ji shared the next two-day tight schedule of the shivir-cum-baithak; and the session came to an end with the recitation of Gayatri Mantra three times.
Immediately after the meeting, dinner was served and to our surprise there were delicious items prepared by the professional cooks working in the kitchen of the “doonga”. A sweet dish was also made available in the shape of “kheer” after the meals. There was a small session after the dinner and it was addressed by the presiding dignitary, Dr. Mengi Ji and he told us an inspiring story of Raja Harishchandra emphasizing the values of truth and honesty. With this, we were asked to go to sleep. Three Swyemsevaks kept guarding the boat with three sticks in their hands. Their duties changed intermittently with a new batch of Swayamsevaks during the dead of night.
At 6.00 am on the next day, it was time to get up and assemble in the nearby jungle on a small island in the lake after having got free from the individual morning duties. At exactly 7 am, a disguised Shakha programme was organised and it continued for two hours. A strong vigil was maintained that the actual identity of the camp-dwellers is not exposed in any way. At 9 am, a sumptuous typical Kashmir-bakery oriented breakfast with butter was served to all with Kahwa. This author was assigned the duties to distribute the breakfast along with one senior Swyamsevak. At this point of time, the “doonga” started navigating towards Char-Chinari island.
At 10 am, the grilling sessions of meetings, discourses and discussions in batches started in different rooms of the boat. At 2 pm we had our lunch. By then we reached the famous Char-Chinari where some of us had full sessions of swimming in the beautiful waters of Dal lake. It was indeed a great experience for all of us during those days of black Emergency. Thereafter, the boat left for Big Dal Lake which was indeed fascinating and interesting. We had a one-hour shakha programme inside the boat and played various games of intellectual nature in the lobby of the boat. At exactly 7 pm, we reached back to the Nehru Park area and got down in the sprawling lawns of the Park. It is here that Subhash Gupta Ji joined us and we reassembled in the boat.
At around 7.30 pm, we noticed a number of police parties patrolling around the Nehru Park in police-shikaras and thus were put on alarm. They were busy signalling to one another while blowing their whistles. We were sure that the police had got some clue about our activities. Immediately, our senior adhikaris asked three Swyamsevaks to leave for their homes and get their families to the “doonga”. Within a gap of one hour, all the three got their families especially the ladies from their homes and they were made a part of the shivir-baithak transforming it into a look-alike picnic-pleasure programme of some families. It was surely a different type of an experience for all of us.
Thereafter, at 10 pm we came to know that the police parties were actually in search of some drug-peddlers who had sneaked into the lush green areas of nearby islands of Nehru Park in the Dal lake. Those were the three hours that taught us important lessons of secret-activism in Kashmir valley. Anyway, we had our dinner of Daal-Bhaat-Pickles and Salad that night, the taste of which I still remember after almost five decades.
At 11 pm, Subhah Gupta ji briefed us about the latest political situation in the country, the role of the Lok Sangharsh Samiti and the contributions made by Swyamsevaks throughout the length and breadth of the country. He told us straightway that the government was not inclined to lift either the Emergency or the ban on the Sangh. However, he inspired everyone present to be prepared for a longer battle to achieve the objectives. It was at this point that he informed us about the proposed draconian 42nd Amendment Bill of the constitution. Some assignments were also given in this regard to various members present there as a part of the nationwide campaign in case the Bill was passed by the parliament. At 12 am, it was time to go to sleep with the information to all to be ready the next day at 6.00 am.
It was now the third and the last day of the shivir-baithak. On the last day, precautions were taken not to get down the boat up to the time it was absolutely important. The operators of the boat were asked to move once again towards the big Dal lake area which they did. We were asked to assemble in batches in different rooms where indoor shakha, discussions and debates on various topics of historical, organisational, political and national importance were taken up. At the end at around 12 pm, Geet-Antakshari was conducted for one full hour. Breakfast was served through the sessions without disturbing the rhythm of the programmes.
It was now time for the bath in Dal Lake and some of us had the full pleasure of swimming in the crystal clear waters of the lake. The boat returned to the Dalgate area straightway from where we had boarded the “doonga”. In between, we had Choley-Puri and curds as the lunch for that day. At around 4 pm, we reached Dalgate and dispersed from there within minutes as per the instructions of our superiors. With this came to an end a unique programme & experience the impact of which we still have on our mind and soul.
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